The co-pending application of Norman Dean Oswald, Robert R. Dean and Harry S. Mankey filed Sept. 28, 1982, Ser. No. 426,220 entitled Aerial Weapons Handling Trailer discloses and claims a vehicle adapted to receive, transport, lift and position large weapons packages. In the operation of the apparatus therein disclosed, a weapons package is initially transported in a generally longitudinal direction. After the weapons package has been positioned adjacent an aircraft, for example, a B1 bomber, a B52 bomber, etc., the aerial weapons handling trailer is moved transversely to position the weapons package under the weapons bay of the aircraft. The trailer is thereafter operated to lift the weapons package into the weapons bay for attachment therein.
The attachment of a weapons package in the weapons bay of an aircraft requires extremely precise positioning of the weapons package relative to the attachment apparatus of the aircraft. The task of properly aligning the weapons package is complicated by the fact that the weapons package is extremely heavy, weighing up to 60,000 pounds or more. Moreover, the weapons package must be positioned by the weapons handling trailer after the lifting apparatus of the trailer is fully extended vertically to position the weapons package in the weapons bay of the aircraft.
The present invention comprises improvements in the design of the above identified aerial weapons handling trailer for facilitating both the propulsion of the trailer and the weapons package carried thereby and the final positioning of the weapons package after it has been elevated into the weapons bay of an aircraft by operation of the aerial weapons handling trailer. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, drive rollers are engaged with selected wheels of the aerial weapons handling trailer whenever it is desired to propel the apparatus. The drive rollers are provided with actuating motors whereby, upon engagement of the drive rollers with the wheels of the trailer and operation of the drive motors, the aerial weapons handling trailer is propelled. After the aerial weapons handling trailer is positioned beneath the weapons bay of the aircraft, the drive motors are locked and the drive rollers are retained in engagement with wheels of the trailer, thereby locking the trailer in place.
Final positioning of the weapons package in the weapons bay of the aircraft is effected by cylinders which function to pivot the entire drive roller assembly about the axis of rotation thereof. Since each drive roller is engaged with a wheel of the trailer, and since the drive motor of each roller is locked, thereby preventing rotation of each drive roller, this action forces the trailer wheel to rotate about its axis.
In this manner, the apparatus of the present invention is adapted to effect extremely precise positioning of the weapons package within the weapons bay of the aircraft.